Provincial election battle lines drawn
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Provincial election battle lines drawn

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The countdown has begun for the Provincial Administration Organisation (PAO) elections on Saturday in what is shaping up to be a fierce race.

This time, the PAO chief poll will occur in 47 provinces where the chairmen have completed their official tenure.

That is unlike their colleagues in 26 other provinces who left the top position last year with premature resignations, which prompted a round of elections already held.

Meanwhile, all the provinces will have elections for the PAO team for each district. The size of the team depends on the population total of each district.

But this is not just provincial voting -- it is a political contest between two major parties, Pheu Thai and its friend-turned-foe the People's Party. Meanwhile, Bhumjaithai is discreetly joining the contest in some Isan provinces.

The high-profile contest has drawn public attention, which should translate into a bigger voter turnout than last year's 62.25%. The Election Commission (EC) estimates that 65% of voters will turn out on Saturday. But such an estimate may be unrealistic as Saturday is a working day for many businesses.

Among the political hotspots is Chiang Mai, where Pheu Thai seeks to win back voter support after its embarrassing loss to the People's Party (then the Move Forward Party) in the 2023 national polls.

Another heavily contested area will be Nakhon Ratchasima province. Meanwhile, Prachin Buri, Sri Sa Ket, and Nakhon Phanom are emerging battlegrounds for the ruling party, particularly with candidates affiliated with its major coalition partner, Bhumjaithai.

The People's Party has high hopes in Samut Prakan, Trat and Songkhla, where the party confronts the so-called independent groups that are not totally independent, with links to some parties and old champions like the Democrat Party and Palang Pracharath.

Then there is ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra, Pheu Thai's spiritual leader, who is leading the party's campaign for the PAO polls. In fact, his handling of it has appeared more akin to what is expected during a national election, and as such, his effort has drawn criticism.

During campaigning, Thaksin has been making promises about the next phase of cash handouts and suppression of call centre scams and narcotics rather than focussing on local development policies, such as those about health, education, welfare, tourism, and infrastructure. However, within that, Thaksin and the ruling party can offer promises their rivals cannot.

All the key parties have high stakes in the PAO poll. Each year, the government allocates more than 28 billion baht for PAOs across the country.

The budget is shared among the provinces, with each serving as one constituency and getting a sizeable budget for development in the next four years. Winning big in the PAO poll should secure a chance for the next national election, which will be held in 2027 unless the House is dissolved beforehand.

As the PAO poll campaign heats up, its getting clearer that Thaksin and Pheu Thai are dwelling on the same old politics, characterised by networking with local political families and promises of populist policies, handouts and projects from the central government, while the People's Party staunchly adheres to the politics of change.

Amidst it all, voters must appreciate that what happens depends on how they vote on polling day.

Editorial

Bangkok Post editorial column

These editorials represent Bangkok Post thoughts about current issues and situations.

Email : anchaleek@bangkokpost.co.th

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